Deep Water (2022)

Greetings again from the darkness. Based on his work, arguments can be made on both sides. Director Adrian Lyne is either a staunch believer in monogamous marriages, or he enjoys mocking the concept altogether. Surprisingly, this is his first film in 20 years since UNFAITHFUL (2002). To refresh your memory, he's also the force behind 9 ½ WEEKS (1986), FATAL ATTRACTION (1987), and INDECENT PROPOSAL (1993). Co-writers Zach Helm and Sam Levinson have adapted the script from the 1957 novel by Patricia Highsmith, who also wrote "The Talented Mr. Ripley" and "Strangers on a Train".

"Do you know I love you?" When one spouse feels the need to ask about love rather than declare it, you know it's an unusual marriage. And in the category of unusual marriages, you'd be hard-pressed to find an arrangement more bizarre than the one between Vic (Ben Affleck) and Melinda (Ana de Armas). Thanks to real life public drama for Will Smith and Jada Pinkett, we all know that "open marriages" are a thing. But this with Vic and Melinda is neither fully "open" nor fully a marriage. Vic invented and sold a computer chip used in drones (mostly for warfare) and he's so rich, that he'd rather watch his free-spirited wife drag home new boy-toys than give her an expensive divorce. But that's as much explanation as we receive for what seems like a lose-lose-lose scenario. That third lose is for Melinda's gentlemen friends who seem to mysteriously disappear once Vic becomes aware of them. One is gone before the movie even starts, and he's followed by Jacob Elordi, Brandan Miller, and Finn Wittrock.

Perhaps the biggest mystery here is in deciding who displays more charisma, Affleck in this role or the snails that his character Vic breeds. We've joked about actors sleepwalking through roles before, but there are scenes here where that may actually be happening. Affleck mostly just dead-eyes Melinda and her men, though we are supposed to interpret his lack of expression as a combination of anger, jealousy, and lust. Fortunately, we have Ana de Armas to liven things up. She's a full-grown party girl going through various stages of designer dress and un-dress. The supporting cast is comprised of Dash Mihok, Lil Rey Howery (who is in every movie these days), Kristen Connolly, Grace Jenkins as the smarter-than-parents kid to Vic and Melinda, and Tracy Letts as a curious novelist constantly side-eyeing Vic as research for a new book.

Is it cheesy? Yes. Is it sleazy? Yes. Despite twenty years of no movies, director Lyne delivers another high-gloss, play-pretend trashy erotic thriller that will fit perfectly in the streaming world. Affleck disappoints here after strong turns in THE TENDER BAR (2021) and THE WAY BACK (2020), and Ms. De Armas will next appear as Marilyn Monroe in BLONDE. Ben and Ana had their tabloid moment as a romantic couple after filming, but she is now the gone girl, and he has since reunited with JoLo. There are too many gaps in the story and characters for this to be considered a serious movie, but it's sure to be entertaining enough for many.

Premiers on HULU beginning March 18, 2022.

Fmovies: Marketing this film as an erotic thriller was the biggest mistake they made. It does have some hot scenes but not enough to call the whole movie erotic even though the whole plot is around it. The thriller aspect is also more of an overlooking sense of it rather than the usual thriller sensibilities. The film is more of a character study of a couple, probably a psychopathic couple who feeds off each other by destroying each other and others who comes between them. Although the film takes a clear stand with the Husband, by making it clear it is the actions of the wife that pushes him to take action. But as the film goes on his actions looks like it's even worse but by the end, it's clear that the wife always knew this side and was really looking for that side in him all along. It's a very fascinating film for me because of how the characters are explored and the director makes us relate with a character who is as all the characters including him says, not normal and as we watch we realize that it is true in a lot of wrong ways. Can't believe this is getting so much bad reviews.

The acting was fine, especially the daughter. But the writing was just terrible. I hate when adults write for kids and make them speak like they are 22 years old. There is no chance in hell that kid was that smart and intuitive.

Second, there is no chance in hell a bank calls you and tells you about a check that bounced and then gives you who it was written out to, and then say that can waive the fee if you add money to your account They were rich so why would there even being sufficient funds? Never happened. And this is just one example where writers blow it. They don't need to add scenarios that don't happen in real life because it distracts us from what could have been good.

Overall, this film was all over the place and served no real purpose. Besides their relationship never had in basis in reality. There was no rhyme or reason to it and no explanation whatsoever of how they went from seemingly distant to passionate for each other. It was bizarre.

Did she ever wear something besides the black dress?

Good luck trying to figure out what this film is about. It made no sense whatsoever. I guess Lyne wanted to rekindle his 9 1/2 weeks. Just a total lack of focus and very slow-moving and without much of a point this was a total WASTE OF TIME! SKIP!!